Melbourne

Famous Melbourne graffiti

I was lucky enough back in June to have the opportunity to do a geophysics course for work in Melbourne, and when work offered to fly me out there I jumped at the chance. The course was 5 days long and very interesting- hopefully I will be better at my job for it! And luckily all the rain happened during those 5 days when I was stuck in a classroom, leaving the rest of my time there fairly dry (apart from the odd shower or 4).

Shopping in Melbourne is very good. So good that I dedicated several days of my trip just to do that, and then had to buy a new suitcase to fit in all of my purchases! I was in need of some new clothes anyway, since most of my clothes were old and mainly for Africa- not really suitable for what was turning out to be the cold Australian winter (I was not told it would be this cold!!!).

St Kilda beach area

During my time in Melbourne I did lots of walking around the city just taking it all in, and did a day trip down to St Kilda, the seaside area of Melbourne in the south. I got to use my new fancy camera that I had bought for my birthday- it’s a great place to practice all the settings! On one day I went on a walking tour around Melbourne and there is a lot that I haven’t had the chance to go and see. I visited the Melbourne Gaol which was very interesting- they held the famous Australian convict Ned Kelly there until his execution. As part of the trip to the gaol they run what is called the watch house tour which showed you what happens to detainees once they were arrested. That was a real experience- up until just 18 years ago up to 50 detainees would be held at once in cold, cramped conditions before their date in court. One place I really did like was the Queen Victoria Markets, which are the largest undercover markets. These have your usual fruit and veg and retail stalls, but on a huge scale, with lots of fish, meat and delicatessen stalls as well. I wish I had visited the markets sooner so I could have had time to cook using the produce. I spent hours just walking around and marvelling at all that was on offer.

Walking around Apollo Bay

I decided to take a couple of trips away to see the surrounding area while I was there. The first was a 3 day trip along the Great Ocean Road, which runs for part of the way between Adelaide in the west and Melbourne in the east. The road was constructed for 2 reasons- the main reason was that upon returning from the war, a great number of servicemen found themselves unemployed in an economically depressed country. A bonus was that this road would connect previously isolated logging towns all along the Victorian coast.

Hiking on the Great Ocean Walk

Cape Otway lighthouse

I took a tour until lunchtime to a very small place called Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road. During the morning we stopped at the famous Bells Beach, where an annual international surfing competition is held, and also stopped to see some koalas. I spent a couple of days in Apollo Bay, and did a 13km (8 mile) hike along the stunning coastline, stopping in at a lighthouse on the way. During my whole walk I saw 2 human beings, it was wonderful! I rejoined the tour in the afternoon a couple of days later and went further along the coast to see the 12 Apostles- a set of stacks in the ocean formed through the erosion of the coastline.

12 Apostles

  

Another little side trip I did was to Hobart, the capitol of Tasmania. Hobart is a bit of a sleepy town, and I regret not hiring a car for the whole time I was there as the countryside scenery is amazing. While I was in Hobart I visited the museum of old and new art, Tasmania’s largest (and most controversial) art collection. I won’t go into details, but the last exhibit I saw was a set of scientific equipment recreating the human digestive system, inclusive of the end product. On my last day in Tasmania I hired a car and headed for the wilderness. My first stop was Mt Wellington, with panoramic views across Hobart and out to the coast. Unfortunately the top was in the clouds (and bloody freezing) but I did get some of the views on my drive back down. Next I drove out to Mt Field national park to see the forests and the waterfalls. The part of Tasmania that I got to see had rolling hills and farmland but different to that of rural Victoria.

Wallaby at Mt Field

Mt Field national park, Tasmania

 
Melbourne is a fantastic place, and I would love to come back, but it is more of a city to live in than to be a tourist in. There are abundant cafes, restaurants, shops, bars, art galleries and museums to keep you entertained. The only downside was all the rain, but then nobody’s perfect! 

Melbourne skyline by night